Distributed pressure brassiere



June 21, 1966 c. M. SACHS 3,256,886

DISTRIBUTED PRES SURE BRASS IERE Filed March 50, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Fig.

INVENTOR Char/es M. Sachs BY $0M 96% ORNEY June 21, 1966 c. M. SACHSDISTRIBUTED PRESSURE BRASSIERE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 50, 1964INVENTOR Char/es M. Sac/2s TTORNEY June 21, 1966 c. M. SACHS 3,256,886

DISTRIBUTED PRESSURE BRASSIERE Filed March 50. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Fig. 6

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I NVENTOR Char/es M. 500/75 ATTORNEY United States Patent Filed Mar. 30,1964, Ser. No. 355,884 7 Claims. (Cl. 128483) It has heretofore beenfound that a construction of a brassiere that has an underbust band madeof overlapping panels of a particular configuration has desirableadvantages. One example of such configuration is shown in US. Patent3,024,789 issued to Pierre Amyot on March 13, 1962. A great merit ofbrassieres of that general construction is that, while performing thebasic molding and uplifting functions of a brassiere, it at the sametime allows maximum freedom for relative movement of the busts iningdifferent tensional characteristics from the conventionally usedmaterial, distributes the pressure resulting from the tensional pullover its entire area thus giving low pressure over large areas, which iscomfortable, in place of high pressure localized along a narrow linewhich is uncomfortable.

While the detailed analysis of the mechanical actions involved issomewhat complex and the cause and effect relationships-are not fullyunderstood, it has been found that the simple modification of thepresent invention accomplishes simultaneously more than one advantageousresult.

The pressures, as already indicated, are distributed over a larger areaso the brassiere is more comfortable.

The underbust band stays flatter and smoother under different conditionsof stretching, thus giving a more attractive appearance as is desired.

The curved lines of the bust cups are retained over different conditionsof tension on the brassiere, avoiding the partial flattening of thebottom line that occurs when a brassiere of this geometric constructionis made of conventional materials in the conventional manner.

By the use of material of the characteristics involved in the presentinvention, it is possible to dispense with the use of stays in thevertical side seams.

Somewhat surprisingly, it is also found that the use of material as herespecified reduces the ride-up of the brassiere on the body inexertive-exercise.

Various other advantages are found to flow from this invention,including the observed fact that in the present invention the underbustband tends to give a sharper delineation where the vertical chest wallundergoes transition to forward protruding of the bust. Thi relativelya, 3,256,886 Ice Patented June 21, 1966 underbust band and the frontportions of the dorsal bands. FIGURE 2 shows one panel member of thecomposite underbust band in the preferred construction of a laminatedmaterial. The top layer of cloth is partially peeled back to reveal thebottom layer of cloth and the adhesive between them.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, showingthe composite laminated material comprising two layers of cloth bondedtogether by an inter-mediate coating of suitable adhesive.

FIGURE 4 is a showing of a laminated panel member for the underbust bandcomplete with its edge bindings with divergent lines of tensional forceindicated thereon.

FIGURE 5 is a polar plot of stretch characteristics of conventionalordinary single ply cotton cloth such as conventionally used inmanufacture of underbust bands for brassieres.

FIGURE 6 is a polar plot of stretch characteristics of material as usedin the present invention, such for example as the laminated materialshown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

A brassiere incorporating the present invention can have any desiredmeans for holding the side sections back. Most frequently the dorsalbands will extend back to terminate the one in hooks and the other ineyes to receive the hooks. This means is not shown because the choice ofback fastening means is independent of the present invention.

The brassiere comprises a pair of bust cups 10, 12, a pair of shoulderstraps 14, 16 if desired, a pair of dorsal bands 18, 20, and underbustband 30.

The underbust band 30 comprises a pair of overlapping criss-cross orband members 33, and 35, which are similar but reversed. In thepreferred embodiment shown here, the criss-cross or band memberscomprise panel pieces 32, 34 of non-elastic material, and inserts 36, 38of elastic material, the inserts being continuations of the ends of thepanel pieces.-

The bust cups are preferably joined together at their inner edges aboutmidway of their height either with a link bond or directly by stitching11. The outer edge of each bust cup is stitched to the adjacent dorsalband member along the front edge of same. The front edge of each dorsalband extends on downwardly a distance below the bottom edge of the cup.

The outer end of one of the band members is secured to the front edge ofone dorsal band at its lowermost part. The bottom edge of the bandmember comes even with the bottom edge of the dorsal band, and the topedge of this end of the band member comes no higher than the bottom edgeof this first cup and preferably somewhat below same.

The bottom edge of the band member extends across the front at a risingangle, and preferably is shaped slightly concave as seen from below. Thebottom edge of its far end is secured to the second dorsal band at apoint distinctly above the bottom edge thereof and preferably somewhatbelow the top edge of this end of the other band member, and the end ofthis band member is stitched to the second dorsal band on up to thebottom edge of the second cup. Tracing back now toward the front cen--The top edge of the band member here approximately coincides with thebottom edge of the first cup and when on the body helps to define suchedge. However, this portion of the band member is free from this cup.

The second band member has essentially identical configuration andrelation, except for being reversed left-toright.

In each of the band members, where the panel piece joins the elasticinsert there is a firm stitched seam 36a, 38a, preferably includingbinding tape. This seam has several thicknesses of material and itswidth is somewhere near a quarter of its length. Thus it does not flexfreely within its own plane, and it transmits stresses in a fairlyuniform manner, acting somewhat like a whippletree, with one virtualstress anchor point that may be approximately represented by A as shownin FIGURE 4.

When the brassiere is worn it will be under girthwise tension. Thistension will vary with breathing and chest expansion, and with posturechanges and various movements of the body.

The forces of girthwise tension are felt across various force patternsrunning along the panel piece of the band member, represented by radiallines 1-7. In conventional construction the panel piece is cut from thebolt of fabric with the parallel threads of the fabric weave runningrunning lengthwise of the major axis of the piece. Its action when socut will be described in detail, it being understood that similardescription with suitable variations could be given for the panel piecewhen cut other than in the conventional manner. In FIGURE 4 the weavelines are indicated in a representative small portion of the material,and are seen to run in the direction of the major axis of the panelpiece and approximately parallel to the force paths indicated by thenumbers 3' and 4.

It has also been observed that the bottom of the bust 'cup tends toflatten out and lose its natural upwardly concave curve, when girthwisetension is applied to one of these brassieres whose panel piece is madeof ordinary single ply cotton. I attribute this to the proposition thatstress is concentrated mainly across the direct fastening between thetwo cups and along stress paths 3 and 4 of this panel piece andcorresponding horizontal stress paths of the underlining panel piece.Stress is more relaxed, by stretching of the material, along paths 5 and6. Thus the forces are no longer present in the same proportions-topreserve the natural curve line at the bottom of the bust cup. Stress isalso inherently in some degree relaxed along stress paths 1 and 2,allowing the bottom edge to curl up.

In addition to the observed deep horizontal wrinkle along the center ofthe panel piece, it is observed that the top and bottom edges of thepanel piece tend to bow outwardly; they do not lie flat and smooth uponthe chest wall as they desirably should.

I have found that I can to a significant degree overcome thesedisadvantages and others as well by locking the square intersticesbetween the successive threads so that they are no longer so free to becanted into diamond shape.

In doing this I wish to avoid giving these panel pieces a boardlikefeel. My preferred way of substantially locking these interstices is tolaminate together two thicknesses of cotton cloth 40, 42, with asuitable adhesive 41 between them to bond them together. The adhesivemust be flexible, it must not impair the whiteness of the fabric, itmust bond the layers together well, it must withstand perspiration andlaundering with hot water and detergents. I have found a thin coating ofpolyvinylchloride to be a suitable example of such an adhesive. Singleply material for this type of article is ordinarily in the vicinty often thousandths of an inch thick. I use material of that thickness. Whenthe two plies are bonded together they have a thickness of approximatelytwenty-thousandths of an inch. The coating of polyvinylchloride tendsnot to add significantly to the thickness of the two. plies that arebonded by it because it occupies for the most part microscopic openspaces within the structures of the woven fabrics. The laminatingtogether of two plies of fabric in this below said breast cups, saidunderbust band comprising manner does not completely quash the abilityof the material to stretch to different degrees along different anglesrelative to the weave lines. However, this laminating process does givea material that; while still flexible and to some degree accom modative,has a much more nearly uniform polar stretch plot. I

Reference is now made to the polar plots of stretch characteristic ofconventional single ply material and the laminated material that I usefor an understanding of the differences in the actions of thesematerials when constituting the panel pieces. FIGURE 5 shows a polarplot of single ply cotton broadcloth showing its radial lengths for eachof -5 degrees of angle, when merely lying flat and when subjected to aradial load of approximately 1, 2, 3 and 4 pounds respectively. In thisdiagram the warp threads run and down on the page, and the fill threadsrun left and right across the page.

FIGURE 6 is a similar polar plot of the stretch characteristics of thetwo ply laminated material used in accordance with my present invention,at the four pound load.

It will be observed from these diagrams that the conventional single plycotton broadcloth has, at the 4 pound pound load, an incremental lengthof about 3 /2 percent directly along the Warp thread angle, and anincremental length of 18-percent at the bias angle of 45 degrees to thewarp direction. Stated comparatively, the difference of stretchabilityat a 4 pound load between the warp direction and the 45 degrees biasdirection is approximately 14 percent.

Comparing now the polar stretch plot for the laminated material that Iuse, it will be seen that at the 4 pound load the stretch directly alongthe warp lines is approximately 0, while the stretch at the 45 degreesbias line is approximately 3, percent. In this case both the differencebetween the bias stretch and the bias rest length, and the differencebetween the bias stretch and the warp stretch, is 3 percent.

The material that I use in the preferred embodiment of my invention has,it will be seen, a very little residual bias stretch which allows for alittle accommodation and departure from planarity. Probably the mostimportant thing is that the difference between bias stretch and warpstretch is of a considerably lower magnitude than is the case with thesingle ply material. The benefits of my invention are realized at leastin part when there is a distinct lowering of the 14 percent differentialbetween bias stretch and warp stretch that the conventional single plymaterial exhibits. While this boundary cannot be precisely defined, Iwould say that benefits of my invention are achieved to a considerabledegree when this differential is less than 10 percent, to greater degreewhen it is less than 7 percent, and to approximately full degree whenthat value is down to approximately the 3 percent value that is presentin my preferred embodiment.

An additional unexpected result of my invention is that by impartingmore nearly uniform polar stretch characteristics to the material of thepanels in the criss-cross underbust band members I find that I caneliminate stays at the front edges of the dorsal bands withoutexperiencing roping, or gathering in, at those areas. This saves costand increases comfort. I attribute this benefit in part to the moreevenly distributed tensions and pres sures, and in part to the greaterthickness of the panel material which helps it resist puckering orgathering.

The benefits of my invention are most fully achieved in the preferredgeometrical form of brassiere shown and described in detail herein, butmay albeit perhaps to a lesser degree be utilized in various forms ofbrassieres with criss-cross underbust bands.

I claim:

1. A brassiere having a pair of breast cups, a pair of dorsal bands, anunderbust band, and means for holding the dorsal bands back, each ofsaid dorsal bands having upper and lower front edges with said upperedges being respectively joined to the outer edges of said breast cupsand said lower edges respectively extending a distance two criss-crossmembers for distributing both horizontal and angled stresses over thesurface area of said crisscross members, one of said criss-cross membershaving one of its ends joined to one of said dorsal bands with thebottom edges thereof approximately even, the bottom edge of said onecrisscross member sloping upwardly as it extends across the front of thebrassiere, the other end of said one criss-cross member being joined tothe other dorsal band with the bottom edge thereof distinctly above thebottom edge of said other dorsal band, the top edge of said onecriss-cross member being secured to the bottom edge of one of saidbreast cups along its length to near the center, said top edge of saidone crisscross member thereafter sloping down and passing under,adjacent to, and free of the bottom edge of the other breast cup, theother criss-cross member being identical in configuration to said onecriss-cross member but reversed in relation to said dorsal bands andbreast cups, said criss-cross members consisting largely of a panelpiece made of a material whose polar plot stretch characteristics varyby less than ten percent through all angles, for forces up to fourpounds.

2. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the polar plot stretch characteristicsof the panel piece vary by less than about 7 percent.

3. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the polar plot stretch characteristicsof the panel piece vary by no more than about 3 percent.

4. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the panel piece is made of laminatedmaterial comprising two plies of fabric bonded together.

5. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the panel piece is made of fabric withsquare interstices partially bonded against canting into diamond shapesunder bias tension by being partially locked by an impregnating plasticcoating.

6. A brassiere according to claim 5 wherein the plastic coatingcomprises polyvinylchloride.

7. Brassiere of claim 1 in which the panel piece is made of fabric withsquare interstices partially bonded against canting into diamond shapesunder bias tension by being partially locked through the bondingtogether of two such plies by an intermediate coating ofpolyvinylchloride.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,541,147 2/1951Becker 128-496 X 2,736,898 3/1956 Lax et al 128483 2,897,822 8/1959Amyot 128-483 3,021,845 2/1962 Smith 128-463 FOREIGN PATENTS 238,1653/1962 Australia.

ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

1. A BRASSIERE HAVING A PAIR OF BREAST CUPS, A PAIR OF DORSAL BANDS, ANUNDERBUST BAND, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING THE DORSAL BANDS BACK, EACH OFSAID DORSAL BANDS HAVING UPPER END LOWER FRONT EDGES WITH SAID UPPEREDGES BEING RESPECTIVELY JOINED TO THE OUTER EDGES OF SAID BREAST CUPSAND SAID LOWER EDGES RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING A DISTANCE TWO CRISS-CROSSMEMBERS FOR DISTRIBUTING BOTH HORIZONTAL AND ANGLED STRESSES OVER THESURFACE AREA OF SAID CRISSCROSS MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID CRISS-CROSS MEMBERSHAVING ONE OF ITS ENDS JOINED TO ONE OF SAID DORSAL BANDS WITH THEBOTTOM EDGES THEREOF APPROXIMATELY EVEN, THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID ONECRISS-CROSS MEMBER SLOPING UPWARDLY AS IT EXTENDS ACROSS THE FRONT OFTHE BRASSIER, THE OTHER END OF SAID ONE CRISS-CROSS MEMBER BEING JOINEDTO THE OTHER DORSAL BAND WITH THE BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF DISTINCTLY ABOVETHE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID OTHER DORSAL BAND, THE TOP EDGE OF SAID ONECRISS-CROSS MEMBER BEING SECURED TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF ONE OF SAIDBREAST CUPS ALONG ITS LENGTH OF NEAR THE CENTER, SAID TOP EDGE OF SAIDONE CRISSCROSS MEMBER THEREAFTER SLOPING DOWN AND PASSING UNDER,ADJACENT TO, AND FREE OF THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE OTHER BREAST CUP, THEOTHER CRISS-CROSS MEMBER BEING IDENTICAL IN CONFIGURATION TO SAID ONECRISS-CROSS MEMBER BUT REVERSED IN RELATION TO SAID DORSAL BANDS ANDBREAST CUPS, SAID CRISS-CROSS MEMBERS CONSISTING LARGELY OF A PANELPIECE MADE OF A MATERIAL WHOSE POLAR PLOT STRETCH CHARACTERISTICS VARYBY LESS THAN TEN PERCENT THROUGH ALL ANGLES, FOR FORCES UP TO FOURPOUNDS.